Betty Ross can't get the Bruce Banner out of her head. She is in love and blames the Hulk for coming between her and Banner. General Ross is suspicious of Rick Jones involvement in the Hulk's affairs, and threatens him with imprisonment if he doesn't divulge what he knows. Meanwhile Banner devises a ray that lets him keep his intellect with the Hulk's strength. To his surprise, though, he is no less despised.

"The Gladiator from Outer Space!"

A ship from outer space lands in Central Park, and the brutal warlord Mongu emerges, issuing a challenge. If Earth's mightiest mortal can be him, then his planet will not invade Earth. The Hulk answers, but finds it is a clever trap laid by the Communist to capture Hulk for experimentation.